It's October -- try a new beer

Courtesy of Cabot Creamery CooperativeThere are beer varieties that go well with everything from elevated finger foods like lobster nachos, to assorted cheeses, to Bavarian style roasted goose.

Beer is on the move.

It's going from bars and backyard barbecues to the dining room with the good dishes and cloth napkins.

Much of the uptick in beer interest is the arrival of craft and microbrews in various regions not noted for their beer production. As consumers take more interest in the origins of their food and drink, a Cherry Hill-bred brew like Flying Fish's OktoberFish may be more intriguing than Miller or Bud.

"If you look at the message boards and blogs, there are posts about beers all over the place," says chef Michael Haimowitz of Arthur's Landing in Weehawken. "Artful Diner (a food blog on nj. com) just posted a beer dinner." The Oktoberfest themed dinner at Chakra restaurant in Paramus paired selections from the German brewer Ayinger with each of the meal's four courses, including breaded pork schnitzel and roasted goose with mustard spaetzle.

Gary Fisch, owner of Gary's Wine and Marketplace, says people may associate beer with summer, but it's a fine fall beverage for October and beyond.

"You would look at lighter beers for the summer, some with a citrusy taste, for example," says Fisch, who has stores in Madison, Bernardsville and Wayne. "But there are beers that are fine beers for drinking in fall and winter. There are a ton of Oktoberfest beers, which are clearly German-inspired. They can go with German foods like bratwurst and other heavier foods."

Fisch recommends the OktoberFish. "It's an amber-colored, roasted malt with a little bit of a sweetness but it finishes with a little bitterness," Fisch says. "Cheese, peppers, onions, sausages, mushrooms -- anything that's gamy in character, it goes very well."

He also likes Flying Dog's Dog-er fest from Colorado and Ommegang Abbey ale from Cooperstown, NY.

Unfortunately, New Jersey law prohibits pouring beer in liquor stores for tastings so you won't be able to sample the brews at your favorite shop. But you can sample at local breweries.

Haimowitz took over at Arthur's Landing last year and added items such as lobster nachos to the restaurant's bar menu. He also repurposed the eatery, creating a menu that has more everyday dishes than the special-occasion dining that was Arthur's history.

With that evolution, beer became more important, Haimowitz says.

"Our managers insisted on having a few beers on tap, but we had limited space for kegs in the bar," Haimowitz says. "We try to have four or five nice beers on tap. We still have Coors Light because our customers ask for it, and you've got to please the people. But we have another Coors beer, Blue Moon, which people perceive as a microbrew. That's terrific with the lobster nachos. It's got a little citrus that goes perfectly with the spice and the richness of the lobster. It's got enough body to stand up to, but not overwhelm, the food."

James Laird, the chef at Serenade in Chatham, only offered bottled beer in the first 10 years of the restaurant.

"We put in a tap system two years ago so we could have seasonal beers rotating on a nightly basis. Beer serves two purposes -- it's an aperitif and its quenches your thirst. It also opens your palate up to flavors."

Also, Laird says, customers realize the craft beers are something to be savored. Serenade serves beers from Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey.

"The flavors are fresher and the beer is great. There are some great beers being made in America. In blind tastings in Germany and Belgium, we kicked their butts."

Laird's burger, made with Angus Kobe-style beef, is known widely for its flavor and moistness. Haimowitz offers at $10 beer and burger special on Sunday and Monday nights. The chefs are graduates of the Culinary Institute of America.

The classic: beer and a burger

Beers and burgers are obvious matches. What about pairing beer with cheese, giving the brew a job usually reserved for wine? Fisch would pair some Oktoberfest beers with rich Westcombe cheddar and Bayley Hazen blue cheese.

Mark Hackett, spokesman for Cabot Cheese, evangelizes all over the country for wedding brews and cheese. Hackett is no stranger to beer or dairy products. He used to be a farmer and would quaff the occasional brew between milking cycles.

"Market research shows a lot of microbrews are gaining market share. They're just popping up all over the place," Hackett says. "Part of that is the flavor of those beers, plus the whole business of people buying local products and the whole slow food movement. It's a natural fit for Cabot."

The cheesemonger offers recipes and suggests cheese and beer pairings on its website (cabotcheese.com). A recipe for habanero cheddar chips is suggested for India pale ale (IPA in beerspeak).

"I speak from experience. This is good," Hackett says. "You can tailgate with cheese and beer or have it at a backyard barbecue. We say don't limit yourself."